Rebuilding Earth
by SoullessAvenger90
Summary: It has been 3 months since the Avatar defeated the Fire Lord. An earth bender from a tiny village deals with life after the war facing rogue fire benders, an eccentric female warrior, and finding his place in the new world.


_Whew, another home down, and ready for a family to move in._ Ren thought while taking a swig of water. It was an unreasonably hot day. Rebuilding his Earth Kingdom village of Tamaishi was tiring but fulfilling work. Even though the huts in Tamaishi were made of rock and were easily built with earth bending, the heat kicked his butt. Nearly three months ago the Avatar defeated the former fire lord, Ozai, ending the terrible war that plagued the world for over 100 years. Ren was about to join the Earth Kingdom army but just before he left, Ba Sing Se was taken by the Fire Nation forcing him to stay in his village in case the Fire Nation decided to spread further. Suddenly Ren's train of thought was interrupted by a hefty pat on his right shoulder.

"Ren, you did beautiful work on this house, your bending has improved greatly! The Han family will be very happy living here." It was his good friend, Hikari. She wasn't an earth bender but always accompanied Ren when he trained.

"Thanks. I guess it has." Ren replied. He didn't very much like getting compliments because he thought half of them didn't apply to him.

"It really has, Ren. It's a shame we don't have many with your talent." Hikari said with dismay. "The village guards could use all the help they can get." Hikari said while examining the newly built house.

"Well, I tried helping them but the mayor pleaded with me to help rebuild after the raid during Sozin's comet. I thought I heard him say that the Earth King offered to send us a few men to help with protection." Ren said looking at the house with her.

"Yeah, my father was the person who journeyed to Ba Sing Se to ask for help." She said with a little pride in her voice.

Hikari had a great family. Her father was an Earth Kingdom soldier but retired after years of service. Her mother was a terrific woman; she was willing to do anything not only for Hikari and her younger brother but for Ren also.

"Well, the sooner those warriors get here the better. Just last week I had to help make the hospital a bit bigger; I was told 13 guards were injured when some Fire Nation renegades attacked." Ren said with a sigh. "Some people just can't let go of old ways. When did he say they'd be arriving?" The mood seemed to darken.

Hikari's spirit seemed to drop with the information Ren just told her. "There's no set date or time. The king just said as soon as possible."

Ren patted her on the shoulder "That's better than nothing, Hikari. Right now we're safe, and your family's safe."

Hikari looked at him with saddened eyes "I know, Ren, it's just so many others' families are being hurt and there's nothing we can do about it." Ren pulled her towards him and held her. She fell into him crying.

"This is a time of peace now, Hikari. Sure, there are a few minor problems but they can be dealt with." Hikari said through mild sobs "One of the thirteen guards was Jiro. I don't know what I'd do without him." Jiro was Hikari's crush. He was a bit older than she was but he showed her kindness and affection.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know he was one of them." Ren said holding his friend tighter. "Have you gone to see him?" He let go of her, as she wiped her eyes.

"Yes, he's been unconscious since the attack, he's burned pretty badly but the healers say he should make it. Damn it, I wish we had a water bender to heal him faster."

Ren sighed. "From what it seems, the whole world could use a water bender to heal it. Luckily now we have the Avatar and from the stories I've heard he's mastered all 4 elements." Hikari's look turned sour

"Where the hell has he been for the last 100 years? I hear he's good friends with the new Fire Lord, probably living it up in luxury as we're stuck here in squalor!"

Ren couldn't help but chuckle "Squalor? I think we're doing a little better than living in squalor." Hikari laughed. "Yeah you're right; it just seems as if all of the high officials in government have forgotten about the tiny villages throughout the world." Ren shrugged. "I don't know if they did or not, but the Earth King has offered to help us with protection." Hikari was about to speak but was interrupted by an angry voice yelling for Ren.

"Ren, what are you doing, wasting time?" it was Ren's father, Katashi, he was a bitter man. He never was a very hospitable person but it only progressed after Ren's mother died.

"No, father, I was just finishing up." Ren said as he stomped his foot causing a rock column to launch his supplies up from the ground. Ren said in a low melancholy tone "I have to go, Hikari. I'll see you later."

As he started walking away she grabbed him and brought him back for a hug and whispered in his ear "Hang in there, Ren. Things will get better." Ren could only look at her with sadness. "Yeah…right." He said and he turned and walked away.

Ren despised living with his father. Katashi told his son everyday, in so many words, that he was a disappointment and worthless. Whenever Ren would learn and perfect a new earth bending move, he would show his dad hoping to get a little approval from him but each time his father would respond "What you couldn't learn more?" It would always tear Ren apart, so he stopped looking for warmth from him. He still gave him a roof over his head, and meals, but Ren didn't know how much longer it would older sister and younger brother moved in with his aunt in Omashu to help her get back on her feet after King Bumi took his city back. So it was just Ren and his father.

"Why were you just standing there talking to that girl?" Katashi yelled as Ren walked passed him into his house. It was a quaint house made entirely out of rock, just like the other homes in Tamaishi. Unlike most however this one was 2 stories high. As a present for his parents' anniversary one year, Ren took it upon himself to completely add another floor using earth bending. Ren's mother was thrilled and for a day, so was his father. Ren's memories were interrupted by his father yelling at him again.

"You offered to help rebuild the village! If you're just standing there you're not doing the job _you_ offered to do, what does that say about you? It says 'I'm lazy and don't give a darn.' Is that the message you want to give people?" Katashi yelled while glaring at his son.

Ren placed his supplies on the floor next to the door "I just finished the house, dad, Hikari came over to compliment me on a job well done."

Katashi scoffed at his son. "A job well done? It took you 2 hours to finish that house! You're slacking off; it took you an hour and a half to get the others done! And why are you back in the house? You have a job to do!"

"Because, dad, I'm not scheduled to start the next house until about 4 hours past noon." Ren said in a calm voice while preparing some food for him.

"You're not showing initiative! People applaud a person who starts work early! Why, my co-workers' kids are already moved out to Ba Sing Se and making a living!" Katashi's occupation was to draw up plans to help make the roads and communication better for everyone in the Earth Kingdom.

"Well that's fantastic for them." Ren said while wrapping up his lunch. "I'm heading over to the hospital then to finish for the day. Don't wait up for me." Ren said and he gathered his supplies and walked out the door ignoring Katashi's reply.


End file.
